Trak Racer Cockpit Review: TR80 vs. TR8 Pro vs. TR160 vs. Alpine Racing TRX (2026)
Trak Racer comes up across this site every time an aluminum-profile cockpit or heavy-duty wheel stand is on the table -- our sim racing cockpit guide, F1 sim racing setup guide, and wheel stand guide all point to the TR8 Pro as the "forever rig" for high-torque direct-drive wheels. What they don't cover is the rest of the lineup, or the brand's genuine, ongoing partnership with an actual Formula 1 team.
Trak Racer Cockpits by the Numbers
- 2008/2010: per Trak Racer's own company history, the brand has designed and engineered racing cockpits in Australia since 2008, with the company formally established in 2010.
- 2020: the year Trak Racer became the Official Simulator Supplier to the BWT Alpine Formula One Team, a partnership Alpine's own team media site confirms has since been extended.
- 30Nm-plus: the direct-drive torque rating of the TR160's double-walled 160x40mm extrusion -- Trak Racer's own "most rigid rig" claim, and a higher rating than independent reviews credit the pricier Alpine Racing TRX with handling flex-free.
- $149-plus: the minimum added cost of a pedal mounting kit on the TR8 Pro's own configurator -- on top of the $699 frame price, with no seat included in any of the four models.
The Full Lineup Compared
| Model | Extrusion | Price (Frame Only) | Max DD Torque | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TR80 | 80x40mm single-wall | $450-$499 | 16Nm | Budget / mid-torque wheels |
| TR8 Pro V2 | 80x40mm reinforced | $699 | 25Nm-plus (mount tube to 30Nm) | High-torque DD on a budget |
| TR160 V5 | 160x40mm double-wall | $730 | 30Nm-plus | Maximum rigidity, heaviest DD wheels |
| Alpine Racing TRX V2 | Tool-free quick-switch frame | $999 | Compatible with DD bases (not flex-rated by Trak Racer) | Formula/GT quick-switch convenience |
Price climbs steadily from the TR80 to the Alpine Racing TRX, and so does marketing attention -- the TRX is the only model with an F1 team's name attached. Torque rating and rigidity don't climb the same way: the $730 TR160 is rated for more direct-drive torque than the $999 TRX is credited with handling flex-free, despite costing $269 less.
The Alpine F1 Halo Effect -- and What It Costs You in Rigidity
Trak Racer has been the Official Simulator Supplier to the BWT Alpine Formula One Team since 2020, and the partnership is real and ongoing -- Alpine's own team media site confirms a recent extension that includes a Replica BWT Alpine Formula One Team steering wheel. The Alpine Racing TRX is the product of that partnership: Alpine's own race engineers were involved in the structural design, particularly the tool-free adjustment system that switches the seat between Formula and GT positions in under five minutes, per Trak Racer's own TRX product pages.
That quick-switch mechanism is also the TRX's biggest tradeoff. OC Racing's long-term review found "visible pedal tray flex and seat movement under hard braking" on the TRX -- a direct consequence of building moving parts into a frame that's normally a single rigid extrusion. The same review found the complete tested setup, once a seat, monitor stand, and shifter mount were added to the roughly $972-$999 frame price, exceeded $1,500 -- substantially more than the advertised frame price suggests. Trak Racer's own fixed-frame models don't carry this tradeoff: the TR8 Pro's 80x40mm reinforced extrusion is rated for 25Nm-plus with no quick-switch mechanism to flex, and owner feedback in long-term reviews reports no wobble even with a 21Nm direct-drive base installed.
The Frame-Only Trap: Why the Sticker Price Isn't the Real Price
All four Trak Racer cockpits are sold as a frame only -- none include a seat, and the pedal mounting system is a separate purchase too. On the TR8 Pro's own configurator, a pedal mount starts at an extra $149 minimum, and a seat typically adds $150-$400 depending on the model chosen. That matters for comparison shopping: our own Next Level Racing cockpit review covers the $899 GTtrack, which bundles a racing seat, 4-point harness, and Buttkicker mount in that price. Add a seat and pedal mount to a $699 TR8 Pro frame and the complete cost can land at or above the GTtrack's all-in price -- the cheaper-looking sticker price doesn't automatically mean the cheaper complete rig.
From an Australian Garage Brand to Alpine F1's Official Simulator Supplier
Trak Racer traces its own history back to 2008, when it began designing and building aluminum-extrusion racing cockpits in Australia; the company itself was formally established in 2010. All of Trak Racer's products are still designed and engineered in Australia, with manufacturing shared across partners worldwide. That garage-brand start has since grown into one of the only sim-racing cockpit makers with an official Formula 1 team partnership -- the 2020 Alpine deal, since extended, stands out even among this site's other brand reviews, none of which have a comparable team tie-in.
Which Trak Racer Cockpit Should You Buy?
If your direct-drive wheelbase is 16Nm or under and budget matters most, the TR80 is the cheapest way into Trak Racer's extrusion family. Running a 20Nm-plus base and want the best rigidity-per-dollar, the $699 TR8 Pro is the proven mid-range pick, backed by owner reports of zero wobble at 21Nm. If you're running the heaviest direct-drive bases on the market and want Trak Racer's own stiffest frame, the $730 TR160's double-walled 160x40mm extrusion costs less than the TRX and is rated for more torque. Only choose the Alpine Racing TRX if switching between Formula and GT seating positions in under five minutes matters more to you than outright rigidity -- and budget for a seat, monitor stand, and shifter mount on top of the $999 frame. For matching a wheelbase's torque rating to any of these four frames, our direct drive wheel guide breaks down the torque tiers by budget.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the Trak Racer Alpine Racing TRX include a seat?
No. None of Trak Racer's four cockpits -- TR80, TR8 Pro, TR160, or Alpine Racing TRX -- ship with a seat included. A pedal mounting kit is also a separate purchase on top of the frame price; on the TR8 Pro's own configurator, a pedal mount starts at an extra $149 minimum. Budget for a seat and pedal mount on top of whichever frame price you see advertised.
Is the Alpine Racing TRX more rigid than the TR160 because it costs more?
No -- by most independent accounts, it's less rigid. The $999 TRX's headline feature is a tool-free mechanism that switches between Formula and GT seating positions in under five minutes, co-engineered with BWT Alpine Formula One Team's own race engineers. OC Racing's long-term review found that flexibility comes at a cost: visible pedal tray flex and seat movement under hard braking, versus the fixed double-walled extrusion on the cheaper $730 TR160, which has no moving quick-switch mechanism to flex.
What torque wheelbase can a Trak Racer TR8 Pro handle?
Trak Racer rates the TR8 Pro's 80x40mm reinforced aluminum extrusion for 25Nm-plus direct-drive wheelbases, with the wheel-mount tube itself strengthened for up to 30Nm. Independent owner feedback cited in long-term reviews reports no wobble with a 21Nm base installed, which covers every direct-drive wheelbase this site has reviewed except the very top tier (Simucube 2 Ultimate at 32Nm, Simucube 3 Ultimate at 35Nm).
Is Trak Racer actually affiliated with an F1 team?
Yes, genuinely. Trak Racer has been the Official Simulator Supplier to the BWT Alpine Formula One Team since 2020, a partnership Alpine has since extended, and Alpine's own race engineers were involved in designing the Alpine Racing TRX's quick-release seating mechanism. That's a real, ongoing commercial partnership -- unlike F1 Radio Replay itself, which has no affiliation with Formula 1, the FIA, or any F1 team.
The Bottom Line
Trak Racer's price ladder and its rigidity ladder don't climb together. The $999 Alpine Racing TRX carries the brand's only real F1-team halo, but that quick-switch convenience trades away some of the rigidity its own cheaper, fixed-frame models deliver without a second thought. If outright stiffness for a heavy direct-drive wheelbase is the goal, the quieter $730 TR160 is the better buy -- the F1 partnership makes for a great story, not necessarily the stiffest rig. Whichever frame you land on, remember the seat and pedal mount are separate purchases; our sim racing seat guide covers the options that pair with Trak Racer's wheel mounts.